World Premier of Roaring Twenties Ballet, The Great Gatsby, A Roaring Success!
A Review by Joan E. Kruger
Staff Writer
You read it in high school, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s jazz age classic, The Great Gatsby. And now the roaring twenties masterpiece has been turned into a ballet, with Sacramento Ballet’s artistic director Ron Cunningham’s much-anticipated version enjoying its world premier this weekend at the Community Center Theater. Opening night played to a packed house of wildly enthusiastic fans, from the first tender scene, a pas de deux with Gatsby (Stefan Calka) and Daisy (Alexandra Cunningham), to the long, long standing ovation at the end. The Great Gatsby, courtesy photo
To everyone’s delight, the fun began even before the show started, with the wonderful surprise of McClatchy High School’s jazz band playing twenties-era jazz in the lobby as the patrons filled the theater, setting the tone for the rest of the evening. The bill began with the short program, George Balanchine’s “Who Cares?” an upbeat review of dance to the music of George Gershwin, featuring such favorites as “Fascinatin’ Rhythm”, “Embraceable You”, “I Got Rhythm” and other tunes from the 1920s and 30s. While the Balanchine show was pleasant and certainly warmed the audience up for the main event, Gatsby is what they’d come for, and this new ballet did not disappoint.
The Great Gatsby as a ballet has been done before, by the Atlanta Ballet, the Washington Ballet, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (who also supplied some of the extravagant sets and costumes), but this version, by Ron Cunningham, was new, and everyone, including this reviewer, wondered how the beloved classic could be transformed into dance—the answer is, it worked surprisingly well. Breaking the novel down to 14 scenes, the dancers tell the story with elegance and style. Upping the entertainment ante, Cunningham’s Gatsby is a big, big production, with live music provided by internationally acclaimed Billy Novick’s Blues Syncopators. Novick was also commissioned by the D.C. Company to compose original music for the Gatsby ballet, but the production also features dozens of favorites from Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, W.C. Handy, and more. Add vocals by award-winning Chicago native E. Faye Butler, with her red-hot-mama style—her “Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl” brought the house down! And rounding out the music, we have wonderful vocals by Connor Mickiewicz (who is the founding artistic director of New Helvetia Theatre), who also serves as the narrator, Nick Carraway; let’s start there. The Great Gatsby, Photo by Keith Sutter
For those not familiar with the novel, it is narrated by Nick (a cousin of Daisy Buchanan, who befriends Gatsby), and kudos go to Connor Mickiewicz for keeping the action moving along in his role as Nick-as-narrator. (The character Nick, however, was danced by Oliver Paul Adams, just a bit disconcerting, despite similar costumes, as Adams is a completely different body type from Mickiewicz.) Leads include Stefan Calka in the title role as Jay Gatsby opposite Alexandra Cunningham as Daisy Buchanan. The rest of the main cast includes Christopher Nachtrab as Tom, Isha Lloyd and their friend Jordan, Amanda Peet as Tom’s mistress, Myrtle, and Michael Separovich as her husband George.
Both Daisy and Jordon were perfectly cast, Cunningham (as Daisy) exuding the light flirtatious spirit of the character (and always dressed in white), and Lloyd (in blue) as golf pro Jordan, cool and lovely, just as in the novel. Calka, meanwhile, looked right for the role of Gatsby, but came across as somewhat remote, only seeming to warm up to the role to fully inhabit his character late in the program. However, Nachtrab as Tom was a strong dancer who could also act, consistent and powerful in his role throughout. The real standout was Amanda Peet as Myrtle, who admittedly got (along with Nachtrab, in their scenes together) the hottest choreography that was super sexy and simply riveting. She also had the meatiest role (and choreography) in her scenes with George, as the tension rises between them. Daisy is a lovely lead, but Myrtle is the one to watch! Other highlights included the New York City street scene with all the company and then some filling the stage, and the huge party scenes at Gatsby’s mansion with the ultra-high energy Charlston numbers. And again, the superb vocals and the great jazz band really added a whole new dimension to what we usually expect in ballet. The Great Gatsby, Photo by Keith Sutter
But most notable were the scene where Myrtle is hit by Gatsby’s car and the terrific final scene when George shoots Gatsby. Cunningham provided absolutely terrific staging for these two very powerful and essential parts of the Gatsby story—the car (which we’ve seen earlier drive across the stage) suddenly appears, two blinding headlights out of the darkness, just as Myrtle runs out, and even though we know the story, it’s startling nevertheless! We’re shocked! Of course George thinks Gatsby is to blame and gets his own justice by shooting him the next morning, just as he’s going for a swim. This is where Calka’s talent really shines. He crumples into the hit, but freezes there, a harsh light upon him, as we take in the final, sad fate of Jay Gatsby. As we hear those final words of Fitzgerald’s lyrical prose, we catch one last shadowy glimpse of Daisy and Tom and that magical green light in the background, while Gatsby very, very, very slowly collapses to the floor. The body control is astonishing and the effect is most certainly astonishing as well. Final curtain, and then the curtain calls, and the audience’s applause was roaring indeed, with a standing ovation that even the most seasoned performers would kill for!
The Great Gatsby continues through Sunday, February 10, 2013, at the Community Center Theater. Performances are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings (February 7th-9th) at 7:30pm, and Sunday, February 10th, at 2:00pm. Tickets range from $17 to $70 and are available from the Community Center Theatre Box Office: (916) 808-5181 (M-Sat, 10am-6pm); or online from Tickets.com (additional convenience fees may apply with online ticket purchase.) The public is advised not to use any other ticket source, as there have recently been ticketing irregularities, including overcharges by 3rd-party sellers. For more information: www.SacBallet.org
The Great Gatsby Prohibition Party, February 10, 2013 – Memorial Auditorium
This is the biggest fundraiser of the year and will be THE blow out party of the season! If you love the roaring 20's and the Prohibition Era...you won't want to miss this! At the Memorial Auditorium, February 10, be the Cat’s Pajamas and come for the knock-your-socks-off party of The Season!
Don your best flapper dress and you’ll be the Bee’s Knees as you Hob-Nob with High Society. Charleston the night away to the live hot licks of Peter Petty and his Jazz Orchestra. a sumptuous dinner and Prohibition-style cocktails, plus themed activities complete the perfect Speakeasy atmosphere. And remember: What happens at Gatsby’s stays at Gatsby’s. Tell ‘em Joe sent ya!
Sponsored by: John de la Vega, The Sacramento Convention Center and Classique Catering. Produced by: Pecorelli Productions. February 10, 4:30 pm. The Memorial Auditorium is transformed into a scene right out of Boardwalk Empire. Gourmet Dinner. Drinks. Live music. Dance if you want to! (Costumes Admired, Not Required) Tickets: $250 each ($175 per ticket tax deductible) All Inclusive.
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